In the darker, colder winter months, your dad’s morale often declines. He can’t get outside as much. He doesn’t have many indoor hobbies. What activities will help boost your dad’s morale?
Get Him Outside for Fresh Air
Make sure your dad spends time outside. Sun and fresh air is a mood booster. Even if it’s cold, he can bundle up and go for a walk with you. Thirty minutes a day is a good target. If it’s very cold, you could break the 30 minutes into two 15-minute walks.
Some days it may be too ice or snowy to go for a walk. Standing outside for 10 minutes of fresh air is important. On rainy days, standing on a covered deck or patio will do until the weather clears up.
Bring Outdoor Hobbies Inside
Your dad’s favorite hobby is gardening. In the winter, consider buying a hydroponic gardening set-up so that he can keep gardening. He’ll just learn new techniques that use water and nutrients rather than soil. Another idea is a fish tank that also grows plants in a symbiotic relationship between the fish and plants.
If his favorite outdoor hobby is fishing, that can be harder but not impossible. You could get him a game system and invest in a fishing game that requires him to use the controller to make the same movements as he’d make outside. You could set up a kiddie pool with a magnet fishing pole and items to catch.
Hold Family Game Nights
When possible, gather the family and have a family dinner. After dinner, play games together. Family games like Ticket to Ride, Apples to Apples, and Trivial Pursuit are popular options. With little kids, games like Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Monopoly Jr. are fun.
The interactions with his grandchildren and children will boost your dad’s mood. If you have older kids, they will have recommendations for some of today’s popular indy and Kickstarter games like Pandemic that you can all play together.
Arrange for Regular Companionship Visit
Make sure your dad gets regular companionship visits. Caregivers can stop by to interact with him, help him around the home, and take him out if needed. With senior care services, he’ll have someone to drive him to stores and help him shop for items. He’ll have help with laundry and housework.
Senior care helps your dad remain independent as he ages at home. Talk to a representative about the services like companionship visits and the cost. Once you’ve narrowed down the number of hours he needs, schedule senior care.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Senior Care in Newark, NJ or the surrounding areas please contact the caring staff at Perfect Touch Home Care Firm today! (908) 469-2701
About Mildrene Volcy
Mildrene Volcy is the Owner at Perfect Touch Home Care Firm in Elizabeth, NJ. In 2013, Perfect Touch Home Care Firm was established to serve our communities and provide life-enhancing home care services to those who need care and companionship. Our home health care agency makes the patient the center of our care practice. We make it easy for persons who wish to stay at home in their preferred habitat to arrange available services in an easy, dependable, and respectful way. Our team of Certified Licensed Home Health Aides meets and follows the highest standards of integrity, compassion, and dedication to caring for those in need. We even offer professional staffing services for personal and agency needs. Following industry standards, our home health aides and nursing staff can be counted on for various service requirements.